7.17.2008

A woman in Maine got a big surprise as she was unloading her washing machine -- an 8-foot-long python mixed up with the wet clothes.

Authorities believe the snake was an escaped or abandoned pet that somehow found its way into the house's water pipes and ended up in the washer. The snake was removed by an animal damage control expert who wore welding gloves.

The homeowner says she's a little flinchy now about doing the laundry.